A little more than two years ago, Governor Kasich’s approval rating was below 40%. But that’s not the case now. The latest Quinnipiac University poll shows 52 percent of Ohio voters surveyed think Kasich is doing a good job. 32 percent disapprove. Pollster Peter Brown says there’s one reason for the Governor’s higher approval rating….the economy.

Brown: "You know it’s a cliche but it’s true. Incumbents prosper when times are good. Voters here think times are pretty good and they think they're getting better."

49 percent of those surveyed say they believe Governor Kasich should be reelected. That’s just shy of the 50 percent threshold Brown says is generally needed for re-election. Kasich has a 47 to 36 percent lead over possible Democratic Challenger Ed FitzGerald. And Brown says there’s one reason for that – people don’t know FitzGerald yet.

Brown: "Three out of four voters don’t have an opinion of Mr. FitzGerald. There will be a race over the next 16 months to define Mr. FitzGerald in the eyes of the three quarters of Ohioans who don’t have an opinion of him."

McGrath: "If polls this far out from an election mattered at all, we’d probably still be working for Governor Ted Strickland."

That’s Matt McGrath with the Ohio Democratic Party. He points out Strickland had good approval ratings at this point in his term. McGrath says Ohioans are not paying close attention to politics right now but when they start to do that, it will be bad for Governor Kasich.

McGrath: "Polls go up and down but what doesn’t change is that John Kasich is sticking it to the middle class while doling out insider deals and tax giveaways to millionaires. That’s what this budget that we will see passed in the next few days is all about and I think Ohio voters will have something to say about that in 16 months or so."

The Quinnipiac Poll shows right now, a majority of Ohio voters surveyed think lawmakers are doing the right thing by offering tax breaks to individuals and businesses instead of allowing that money to go back to state programs and local communities. Fifty five percent of those surveyed say the state’s surplus should go back to taxpayers.